


Stubborn Love (or, Geralt Can't Take a Fucking Compliment and it's Driving Jaskier Crazy)

by silverfoxflower



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24817849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverfoxflower/pseuds/silverfoxflower
Summary: "I praise you all the time," Jaskier said, tagging after Geralt as he led Roach along the rocky trail. "In song.""Those are lies," Geralt grunted.“Only if you take themliterally.” Jaskier said, exasperated.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 21
Kudos: 275
Collections: Best Geralt





	Stubborn Love (or, Geralt Can't Take a Fucking Compliment and it's Driving Jaskier Crazy)

Jaskier tumbled into the cottage already in the flush of some story, only to stop fast at the door, words forgotten. 

"That ... looks good on you." Jaskier said, walking forward to circle around Geralt. "I never thought I’d see you in," he made a non-specific motion in the air "colors." 

Geralt irritably pulled at the bottom of his sky-blue tunic. "It's all that was clean." Lord Hrodeberth, grateful for Geralt's help with a local ghoul problem, had been only too happy to lend him clean clothes and a bath to clean off the graveyard muck. Not grateful enough to allow Geralt a room in the manor, however. 

"What's that that your mouth is doing?" Jaskier nudged forward, squinting at Geralt's mouth. 

"What?" Geralt batted away Jaskier's face and edged towards the door. 

"Is that a _smile_? Are you _smiling_?" Jaskier yelled as Geralt hurriedly walked away, suddenly eager to get to nowhere in particular. 

\---

"I praise you all the time," Jaskier said, tagging after Geralt as he led Roach along the rocky trail. "In song." 

"Those are lies," Geralt grunted. 

“Only if you take them _literally_.” Jaskier said, exasperated.

\---

"Yer beautiful." Jaskier knitted his brows, confused at the slur in his speech as he shoved three empty tankards across the table with his elbow. "I'm seriush." 

"The barmaid's over there," Geralt inclined his head.

"Mmm not talking to her." Jaskier scowled.

"Pity." Geralt said, taking a slow sip of his ale. 

\---

" _Fuck_ ," Jaskier stumbled out of the sewer opening, walking forward to collapse against Geralt's chest. "I thought we were dead."

To Geralt's credit, he allowed the contact for a full minute though the both of them were soaked with water of dubious origin. He even gingerly patted Jaskier's back. "There, there." 

Jaskier pulled back, his eyes shining as he looked at Geralt. "You were magnificent." 

"Yes. You're welcome for your life." Geralt disentangled himself from Jaskier's limbs, picking his way to Roach, who whinnied piteously. “Stinks that much, huh.” Geralt said conversationally as he strapped the dripping cockatrice head next to the saddlebag. 

"I mean it!" Jaskier chased after him. "The way you..." Jaskier mimed a slashing motion. "And ... and-" He gave up with a little sigh of defeat as Geralt continued to pointedly ignore him. "You know, if I had my lute this would be a lot easier." 

"Well I told you not to bring it and now it's cockatrice shit." Geralt said, making Jaskier scowl.

\---

They were sitting by the fire in silence - a rarity so blessed where Jaskier was concerned - that Geralt didn't notice that he was being examined until he looked up to find Jaskier watching him with a concentrated expression, the fire flickering in his eyes.

"Yes?" Geralt asked pointedly. 

"I'm trying to figure out ..." Jaskier paused, pressing his lips together. "I can make any maiden swoon out of her dress with a string of wholly original flatteries never before strung together by man." 

Geralt raised his eyebrows. 

"But with you-" Jaskier scowled, fluttering his hands as if attempting to hold together a sandcastle crumbling between his fingers. "I don't know what to say. My mind's a blank." He rested his chin in his hand, flicking his eyes up to Geralt's. 

Geralt busied himself with the fire, adding a handful of twigs although the flames were already high enough that he could feel a strange heat crawling up his neck. 

"Don't get me wrong," Jaskier said. "I could bury you in lyricisms of snow-white manes and eyes like gleaming jasper."

Geralt rolled said eyes.

"I could rhapsodize for days about your deadly skill with the blade, tell endless tales of your prowess and courage and magnificent physique." 

Geralt stared at him flatly.

"But something tells me that you wouldn't like that." Jaskier sighed deeply.

"What gave that away?"

“Alright then.” Jaskier threw up his hands. “I give up! I, songbird of Cintra, winner of the-”

Geralt walked around the campfire and hauled Jaskier up to a standing position, pressing a hard kiss to his lips. “I prefer actions to words.” Geralt said, in Jaskier’s stunned silence. 

\---

"You'll want to tie that off with the ribbon," Ciri instructed, "Ow!" 

"Sorry," Geralt murmured, concentrating on the fine braids in his hands. His fingers, which were so clever with instruments of death, felt clumsy in this girl-child's hair. He knotted the slippery ribbon around the end of her braid and pulled it gently into a bow. 

A creak of the floorboards announced that Jaskier, who had been strumming his lute in the corner, was walking over to inspect his work. He made a show of it too, humming and scrunching his face into concentrated expressions that made Geralt roll his eyes. 

"Very good." Jaskier said, and Ciri beamed. "A braid crown fit for a princess." 

Geralt's eyes traced the curve of Jaskier's smile to his dimple, and up to his steady gaze. 

"Tell your lady-in-waiting that she has fine handywork," Jaskier said with a wink. 

"Gross!" Ciri shouted as Jaskier leaned forward and pressed a kiss against Geralt's blush-hot cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> Against my better judgement I have made a [tumblr](%E2%80%9Dwww.tumblr.com/blog/greyduckgreygoose%E2%80%9D).


End file.
